Closet light



Nov. 12, .1946. R. A. MACDONALD CLOSET LIGHT Filed Oct. '11, 1944INVENTOR- floderfb/fflJqdrdmza ld' BY 2 WWM- m- Patented Nov. 12, 1946UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in illuminating devices andpertains particularly to a improved means for illuminating the interiorof closets, wardrobes and similar compartments with a hinged door foraccess thereto.

It is well known to install an electric lighting device within a closetor the like and to connect it to a wiring system over switching meansfor controlling the light. This method of illuminating closets orsimilar compartments, however, requires comparatively expensiveinstallations for a light which is used ordinarily only for a fewminutes each day.

It is, therefore, the main object of the present invention to provide animproved illuminating device of simple and practical construction whichmay be readily mounted or placed into a closet or the like withoutrequiring any wiring and Which will automatically illuminate theinterior of the closet or of a similar compartment when the door isopened and which will also automatically switch ofi the light when thedoor is closed.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature ofconstruction or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment ofthe invention described and shown in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of my inventionshown as it appears in a closet when the door is closed;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, showing the deviceas it appears when the door of the closet is open; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, the numeral l denotes the top, 2 the door, 3 the rearwall, 4 the upper front portion, 5 an upper shelf, and 6 a side wall ofa closet which is shown partially broken away. A casing I, which isadapted to be affixed to the inner Side of the upper front portion 4 bymeans of nails (not shown) or in any other suitable manner, contains adry battery (not shown) and is provided at its top with switching means,preferably with a push button switch 8, adapted to close an electriccircuit between said battery and an electric light bulb l2 attached tothe lower portion of casing 1, when the push button of switch 8 isdepressed. The upper flange portion of a U-shaped arm II is hingedlyattached to the top of the casing 1 at I0 and is provided with a smallpressure plate 9 in such a manner that it tends to swing toward the door2. Arm l I consists preferably of a resilient, flat longitudinal pieceof material or of a thin rod, a wire, or the like, and its lower end isprovided with a cap l3 for preventing a scratching on the inner side ofdoor 2. I prefer to arrange arm II and switch 8 near one of the verticalside portions of casing l and to place the light l2 in the center of theangle formed by the bottom and front portions of casing 1, so that theshadow of arm II will not be thrown straight into the compartment.

As long as door 2 is closed, arm H is in the position shown in Fig. land the part 9 is spaced apart from the push button of switch 8; thelight I2 is switched off. When door 2 is opened, the arm I I swingsdownward by means of gravity, and the weight of arm ll, of cap I3 and ofplate 9 depresses the push button of switch 8, thus closing the electriccircuit so that the light [2 will illuminat the interior of the closetas long as door 2 is open.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamentalnovel feature of the invention as applied to a single modification, itwill be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changesin the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operationmay be mad by those skilled in the art without departing from the-spiritof the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only asindicated by the scope of the following claim.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Lette Patent in theUnited States is:

An illuminating arrangement for a compartment with a hinged door foraccess thereto comprising a casing mounted within said compartment andsecured thereto, a battery within said casing, a lamp bulb mounted onthe lower portion of said casing, a push button switch attached to thetop of said casing and adapted to close an electric circuit between saidbattery and said lamp bulb when the push button is depressed, and a thinU-shaped arm the upper flange portion of which is pivoted to the top ofsaid casing above said push button, said arm being arranged around saidcasing in such a manner that its lower flange portion tends to be movedby means of gravity toward the door of the compartment and that said armis in spaced relation to the casing when said door is closed, but thatits upper flange portion rests against and depresses said push buttonwhen the door of the compartment is open, all substantially asdescribed.

RODERICK A. MACDONALD.

